The Community Choice hearings
The Community Choice hearings were great! Ten senators came to the hearings, including our own Sen. Schumer (D-NY)! I spoke briefly with him, and thanked him for coming. He said, “No, thank YOU for coming. You keep thanking me, but I want to thank you for being here.” he, along with several ofthe senators congratulated Rochester and the Center for Disability Rights, as well as the Regional Center for Independent Living for bringing well over 50 constituents to the hearings. I was also happy to see that Sen. Salazar, from Colorado was there as well, since I spent almost all of my adult life in Colorado, and still consider it home. Both Senators Schumer and Salazar are co-sponsors of the Community Choice Act.
Here is a report from Chris, as well as ADAPT about the hearings:
First, Chris…
Hey gang,
Live update from DC. Before the hearing began, Sen. Schumer’s staff found us and said the senator would be at the hearing and was impressed by the number of calls - 82 - they received yesterday.
When Schumer showed up, he came straight to the NY group and had what his staff later called a “rockstar moment” as all Rochester cheered his name. He talked with the group a few minutes and took a picture with Bruce, the senator holding a “Community Choice Act Now!” Tshirt.
After the first statements by the committee chair and ranking minority member, Schumer interrupted to gain the floor and welcome the large group from Rochester, thank CDR and RCIL, and point out that he would not have been a co-sponsor if it wasn’t for our work and how he is proud now to be a co-sponsor.
Schumer looked practically giddy as we all cheered loudly. Very cool series of moments.
Chris
Now, the report from ADAPT…
The Senate Finance Committee Hearing on the Community Choice Act was a tremendous success! You can still view it on the Senate Finance Committee website and the testimony of each of the presenters can be read and/or downloaded from this site as well.
Many excellent points were made. One of the highlights for many CCA Supporters was when Mitch La Plante refuted the cost estimate and research has proven it is closer to $1.4 to 3.& billion.
Chairman Baucus committed to getting the Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
Many other great points were made too.
You can still see the hearing for a while, but not forever, on the Senate Finance Committee website. We encourage you to do so!
Thanks to all the CCA supporters who turned out for the hearing! Your presence was awesome! And Bob Liston represented us well, although all the speakers made terrific points.
Attendance by the Senators was quite good, due in large part to each of your efforts! Senators who were there at least part of the time included:
MAX BAUCUS, MT (Chair of the Committee)
CHARLES GRASSLEY, IA (Ranking Minority Member)
CHARLES E. SCHUMER, NY (co-sponsor)
KEN SALAZAR, CO (co-sponsor) J
IM BUNNING, KY
RON WYDEN, OR
BLANCHE L. LINCOLN, AR
OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, ME
GORDON SMITH, OR
JOHN F. KERRY, MA was there but needs some help understanding the point of the hearing…
Other members who were not there (just FYI)
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, WV
KENT CONRAD, ND
JEFF BINGAMAN, NM
DEBBIE STABENOW, MI
MARIA CANTWELL, WA
ORRIN G. HATCH, UT
TRENT LOTT, MS
JON KYL, AZ
MIKE CRAPO, ID
PAT ROBERTS, KS
JOHN ENSIGN, NV
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Written testimony can still be sent in for the next 13 days. It’s probably best to email it to:
susan_douglas@finance-dem.senate.gov
If you write it will probably not get there in time, but the mailing address
is:
Committee On Finance
219 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-6200
If you do send written testimony, we would appreciate your sending ADAPT a copy so we can use it — if needed — in the future. (It’s hard to get ahold of this kind of written testimony later.) You can email it to adapt@adapt.org or send a hard copy
to: ADAPT of TX 1640-A East 2nd ST, Suite 100 Austin, TX 78702 (note NEW
ADDRESS) or fax to: 512/442-0522.